Mrs. Brown is the widow of the late John Brown, one of the earliest
settlers of Vernon County, who came here about the year 1844, settling
in the southern part of Coal Township, on section 36. He was originally
from Ohio, the state in which he was born and principally brought up,
and after coming to this county followed farming as his
occupation. September 2, 1852, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary
Eliza Howe, daughter of Ebenezer C. and Almira (Beach) Howe, who died
Oct. 10, 1853, leaving one son, Ebenezer; this child was reared to
manhood by his uncle and aunt, Peter and Phebe Brown. In 1855 Mr.
Brown’s second marriage occurred. Miss Malinda White, of Indiana,
becoming his wife. Her parents, Luther and Isabella White, were natives
of Tennessee, but on leaving there went first to Indiana and thence to
Illinois, locating in Vernon County about 1838 or 1839. Here their death
afterwards occurred. Up to the outbreak of the war Mr. Brown passed his
time in attending to the duties about his fine farm, closely adhering to
the chosen channels of agricultural life. After the war he became still
more prominently identified with the county’s interests in an official
capacity, for he was elected and served as sheriff, and was associated
in other ways with the leading movements of the time. In Sep. 1875, he
was called away by death, leaving besides his widow, an estimable lady,
five children to mourn his loss: Nancy E., wife of John Ward; Mary Ann,
wife of Charles Witworth; John, Robert Lee and Uri B. Mr. Brown was the
owner of an estate 600 acres in extent, and one well adapted to the
purposes of general farming. He was an excellent farmer, and as a
citizen stood hardly less high in the estimation of those who knew
him. His companion who survives him resides upon the home place and
superintends the management of the farm which she now owns.